Game Setup 1. Build Your Operator Deck Before the game, you will need to construct an Operator Deck. This will be the character you play in this game Create your Operator deck using 40 cards plus your Operator card (41 cards total) and no more than 60 total points. You may include any available cards and there are no restriction on multiple cards of the same type. If you reach the 60-point limit before selecting 40 cards, pad the rest of your deck with 0-point Move cards. A balanced mix of Movement, Weapons, Armor, Cover, and Modifiers is essential for a strong Operator. Synergies between your fallback weapons and weapon cards can be beneficial! 2. Set Up Your Play Area Separate your PERSONALITY card from the rest of your deck and place it face-up in your Personality Zone. Shuffle the remaining 40 cards and place them face-down in your Deck Zone. Leave space for the following zones: Deck Zone (your draw pile) Discard Pile Cover Zone (for Cover cards) Weapon Slots (Main and Second Weapon) Armor Slot Modifier Slots (as needed) 3. Draw Your Starting Hand Draw 4 cards from your deck. Choose 1 card to discard into your Discard Pile. You will begin the game with 3 cards in hand. 4. Optional Pre-Turn Equips From your hand, you may equip one of each of the following: A Second Weapon (placed in the Second Weapon slot) A Cover card (placed in the Cover Zone) An Armor card (placed in the Armor Slot) These equips are optional and free at this stage. 5. Set Life Points Each player begins with 20 Health Points. Use counters, a d20, or any visible method to track your life. 6. Determine the First Player Choose who goes first by rolling a die, flipping a coin, or another random method. Turn Phases 1. Draw Phase Draw 1 card from your deck. No hand limit. 2. First Equip Phase (Pre-Action) Equip or replace: Armor (you may only have one). Modifiers (attach to valid cards). Cover (if you're in the open, you can move into Cover without a Move card). 2nd Weapon (optional). You may also reposition into Cover for free if you're currently in the open. 3. Action Phase Choose one: Attack another player (trigger Combat Phase). Use a Boost or strategic card (e.g., reposition, heal). Pass (do nothing this turn except setup). Proceed to Combat Phase if attacking. 4. Combat Phase (if attacking) Choose a target and determine the combat type: Ranged (vs target in Cover) Ranged (target in open, you in Cover) Close Combat (both out of Cover) Follow the appropriate procedure: Announce weapon(s) used. Add relevant discard pile costs. Compare to Cover or Defense. Defender may play up to two Reactions (Move/Action). Resolve damage, armor breaks, etc. 5. Second Equip Phase (Post-Action) You may now: Replace broken or used Armor. Equip a new Modifier or change Cover (if available). Equip a different Weapon in the 2nd slot. This phase allows recovery and repositioning before the next player’s turn. 6. ⬛ End Turn Phase Resolve any “end of turn” effects. Reshuffle discard pile into deck if needed (keep top card of discard). Pass priority to the next player. Running out of cards If your Deck is empty at any point and you need to draw a card, immediately reshuffle your Discard Pile, except for the top card. Place the shuffled cards face-down into your Deck Zone, and leave the top discard card face-up in the Discard Pile. Then draw as normal and continue play. This ensures the top card of the Discard Pile remains visible for effects that reference it. If the Discard Pile only contains one card, you cannot reshuffle. You must wait until more cards enter the Discard Pile. Equipping Armor You may have one Armor card equipped at a time. Armor can only be equipped from your hand during the Equip Phase (before or after an action). If your armor is destroyed or discarded during combat, you may equip a new one in the Second Equip Phase of your turn (if you have one in hand). Armor typically provides additional defense that reduces incoming damage. Some armor cards may have keywords or effects that trigger in combat or while equipped. Combat Phase During your Action Phase, if you choose to attack another player, follow the steps below based on the Cover state of you and your target. Step 1: Determine Combat Type Ranged Attack (Target has Cover): You are attacking a player who is behind Cover. Ranged Attack (Target is in the open): Your target has no Cover. Close Combat: Both you and the target are in the open (no Cover cards in play). Step 2: Announce Attack Choose and announce your weapon (must use equipped weapon if available). Optionally, play a Boost card (if you have one). Step 3: Handle Cover (if target has Cover) Add the COST of the top card of your Discard Pile and your target’s Discard Pile. If this total exceeds the Cover Value of the target’s Cover card, their Cover is broken—discard the Cover card. If not, the attack misses and the Combat Phase ends. (Skip this step for targets not in Cover.) Step 4: Calculate Attack Power Add the POWER of your weapon and the COST of the target’s top Discard card. Subtract this total against: Target’s Personality card DEFENSE, and Any equipped Armor. Step 5: Defender Reacts The target may now play up to two MOVE or ACTION cards (e.g., Dodge, Duck, Jump) to reduce remaining damage. Step 6: Apply Damage Any remaining damage after reactions is subtracted from the target’s Health. If Armor absorbed any damage, it is now discarded (broken). Notes The top card of each player’s Discard Pile must be visible at all times for reference. You may only attack one player per turn unless a card or keyword allows otherwise. Movement and Cover Movement occurs during your Equip Phases and allows you to reposition between Cover and the open battlefield. You may continue your turn after moving—movement does not end your turn. Moving from Cover to Cover Requires: 1 MOVE card 1 new COVER card Steps: Announce your movement. Play the MOVE card to your Discard Pile. Discard your current COVER card. Place the new COVER card into your Cover slot. Moving from Cover to the Open Requires: 1 MOVE card Steps: Announce your movement. Play the MOVE card to your Discard Pile. Discard your current COVER card. You are now in the open. Moving from the Open to Cover Requires: 1 COVER card Steps: Announce your movement. Place the COVER card from your hand into your Cover slot. You are now in Cover. Important Notes Movement happens during your Equip Phases. You may take further actions afterward, such as equipping gear, playing a Boost, or attacking. You may only move once per turn, unless otherwise allowed by card effects. Weapons Each Operator has a fallback weapon printed on their Personality card. This weapon is always available and represents your Operator's training and default gear. You may also equip a weapon card from your hand into the second weapon slot during either of your Equip Phases. If this weapon is in play, it becomes your primary weapon and is used for attacks that match its type. If the equipped weapon is a ranged weapon: Use it when attacking from cover. Discard it after use. If you are not in cover, do not discard it—you fallback to your Personality card’s close-combat weapon instead. If the equipped weapon is a close combat weapon (e.g. Katana): Use it when attacking while out of cover. Discard it after use. If you are in cover, do not discard it—you fallback to your Personality card’s ranged weapon instead. Two-Handed Weapons Some weapons (like the Katana or Heavy Sniper) are two-handed and take up the entire weapon slot. These are powerful but must be carefully managed. You cannot have a second weapon or equip another in parallel. You only discard the two-handed weapon if it's actually used in combat that turn. Fallback weapons are used automatically when the primary weapon’s type does not apply, preserving your two-handed card for later use. This mechanic rewards players who manage positioning and timing carefully. DUAL Keyword If a Weapon card has the DUAL keyword AND it matches the weapon type shown on your Personality card, you may double the weapon’s attack power when using it. Modifier Cards Modifier cards enhance your weapons or strategy and are played during your Equip Phases. Modifiers are single-use only and are always discarded after use. They are attached to a valid target (e.g., a weapon or armor) and apply their effects to the next relevant action. Some common effects: Explosive Rounds: +2 Power to a Ranged Weapon. Armour Piercing Rounds: Ignores an opponent’s armor card. Laser Sight: Increases the power of an attack and adds a bonus to the discard value for cover checks. Discard Order Matters All modifiers, weapons used in an attack, and played cards are placed in the discard pile in the order they were used. The top card of your discard pile has mechanical significance (e.g., in cover-breaking calculations), so timing your card plays carefully is part of tactical mastery. Keywords & Glossary Two Handed Weapon can not be dual wielded Dual A weapon with the DUAL keyword can be dual-wielded if it matches your fallback weapon's exact name. When dual-wielded, its attack value is doubled. If the names do not match, the second weapon is used on its own and counts as a Two Handed weapon. Armor Places in the “Armor” slot Staged Damage (S.D.) Staged Damage is a type of delayed, unavoidable damage applied over multiple turns. When a card or effect inflicts Staged Damage X, place X damage tokens on the affected player's Personality card. At the start of each of their turns, remove one token and immediately apply 1 damage to the player. This damage cannot be reduced or prevented by armour, movement, cover, healing, or any mitigation effects. The damage continues automatically each turn until all tokens are removed. Modifier Modifiers enhance weapons or armour. They are placed under the item in the Second Weapon or Armor slot, or under the Personality card if modifying fallback gear. They are discarded when the item is used, damaged, or replaced. Reaction Can be played at any time providing keyword and card action criteria are met Cover Represents a location or object providing defensive benefits. A player may only have one cover card in play at a time. Cover is discarded if the player moves or takes damage (as specified). Boost A temporary boost that is declared at the beginning of the attack phase for this attack only. Movement When playing a movement card, if you are in cover, you move out of cover immediately (discard the cover card), unless you then play a new cover card Multi Only useable in a game with three or more players